SROs may return to Woodrow Wilson

MIDDLETOWN - School and police officials are discussing returning a school resource officer to Woodrow Wilson Middle School in the next school year.

At Tuesday's Board of Education meeting, Acting Chief of Police Patrick McMahon spoke in favor of returning an officer to the school, though not to the district's sixth-grade school, Keigwin Middle School.

Middletown used to have four SROs - two at Middletown High, one at Woodrow Wilson and one at Keigwin. But after a September 2010 incident in which officers used a Taser on a Middletown High student who allegedly became combative in the school cafeteria, all four officers were removed from the schools.

In December, Superintendent of Schools Michael Frechette and McMahon signed an agreement that returned high school SROs Alex Rodriguez and Lee Buller to the school starting in January 2011, though the officers at Woodrow Wilson and Keigwin Middle Schools were not reinstated.

Board member William Grady presented a summary of the high school's SRO program that Principal Robert Fontaine had written. In it, Fontaine explained that the officers often attend field trip and athletic games and participate in Vo-Ag activities "to promote and foster positive relationships with various groups of students." He said the officers are visible in the school's hallways and cafeteria every day, and they collaborate with the administration whenever an incident involving police and a student occurs.

The officers also participate in the school's monthly safety meeting, and participate in weekly meetings to review any community issues involving students or their families.

"Both SROs are well respected by faculty, staff parents and students alike," Fontaine wrote. "They are professional yet approachable and are truly an asset to the Middletown High School community."

"The success of the program at the high school proves that they can be an integral part of the school," McMahon said.

"I think we all agree that Keigwin is too young a group and we don't need to revisit that anymore," McMahon added. But, he said, seventh and eight-graders could benefit from interacting with an officer on a regular basis.

McMahon said he supports the SRO program because helping teens build positive relationships with police officers can have long-term benefits.

"I believe in investing early," he said. "The dividends at the other end are just exponential."

The SRO program is entirely funded by the police department, McMahon said. Frechette said he would arrange a meeting with McMahon and Woodrow Wilson Interim Principal Donald Gates to go over the details of the program and make a decision, so an officer could be trained and ready to start at the school in the fall.

Claire Michalewicz can be reached by email at cmichalewicz@middletownpress.com. Text MIDNEWS to 22700 to get news alerts directly to your cell phone. Standard messaging and data rates apply.